PAT to support PTI candidates in NA 122 by-elections

Lahore: Pakistan Awami Tehreek announced on Tuesday to favour PTI candidates in NA 122 by-elections and withdrew its candidate for PP-147 Ishtiaq Ahmad in favor of Shoaib Siddiqui of PTI. The announcement was made after PTI Punjab Organizer Ch Sarwar met with PAT General Secretary Khurram Nawaz Gandapur and Raheeq Abbasi along with Omar Sarfaraz Cheema and by-polls candidates Abdul Aleem Khan and Shoaib Siddiqui.

Ch Sarwar thanked PAT leadership for their support and hoped that PTI would win against corrupt and rouge rulers.Moreover, following the cold blooded murder of PTI candidate for LG polls Mian Akbar, the Punjab Organizer addressed an emergency press conference.

Mr. Sarwar was flanked by Opposition Leader in Punjab Assembly Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed, Anees Hashmi, Omar Cheema and Andleeb Abbas. He warned PML-N to bridle its hooligans and stated that the rulers were embarrassed by the evident defeat in by-polls and trying to harass the party workers.

The murder of our candidate, second in a row, is attack on democracy and people’s aspirations, he said. He told the press that the Station House Officer of Samanabad Police Station told him in presence of five persons that Salahudin Pappi, PML-N candidate for Vice Chairman, attacked PTI rally in Nawab Town injuring five workers and destroying half dozen motor bikes. He further said there was extreme lawlessness in the country. Were the criminals tried in Model Town Incident and Attack on lawyers in Daska, this would have not happened, he stated.

The government itself is responsible for breaking the laws so PTI is fully justified to demand deployment of Rangers in the city as the police was no more bipartisan, he demanded. Presently, it seems like PML-N was given license to silence its opponents with guns and killings, he said while adding that PTI, however, would not leave the field open for goons and take revenge from them in form of electoral victory on October 11.

Responding to a question, he said it was right of the heirs of deceased Mian Akbar to nominate accused in his murder and PTI would not do politics of deadbodiess as it was a principle based party. Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed also warned the government against disturbing law and order in the city. He told that PML-N local leader Touseef Shah was involved in violent crimes against PTI workers in Rasheed’s constituency. One of our workers was severely tortured and is under treatment in Jinnah Hospital, he told.